Page 6 - Soul of India: The Colorful South

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in southern India’s colorful spirituality ...

The Kerala backwaters and Cochin Mahabalipuram Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
The tropical coast of southern India is The sleepy port of Mahabalipuram was Encompassing 300 square miles of South
another of the many worlds within this vast founded in the seventh century, and the India’s Cardamom Hills region, the Periyar
country, and yours to explore in Kerala. city’s first 200 years witnessed incredible Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the largest
Witness riverside villages and narrow canals growth. Modern scholars believe the area national parks in India. The park’s tangled
plied by traditional watercraft—like the may have been a school for sculptors, jungles, undulating hills, and coarse
distinctive houseboats that O.A.T. travelers and there is no question that some of elephant grass are home to more than 60
spend two nights aboard, exploring the India’s finest sculptures were created animal species, including elephants, sloth
palm-fringed lagoons. In Cochin, diverse here more than 1,000 years ago. Temples bears, bison, leopards, wild dogs, monkeys,
cultures come together in a kaleidoscopic and sculptures dot the city, some built and the extremely rare Bengal tiger. In fact,
array of influences—from the aromatic “structurally,” others simply carved while Periyar is considered one of India’s 27
streets of the old Jewish quarter to the from naturally occurring monoliths. tiger preserves, it’s estimated that only 46
elegant Chinese fishing nets for which the Mahabalipuram is such an artistic and tigers still roam its expansive grounds.
city is known. cultural treasure that it was designated a
UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.
Mahabalipuram, India
Soul of India: The Colorful South

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